Title Rivals Finish All Square, Diamonds Shock the Pars and County Back to the Bottom : Scottish Championship Round-Up
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Title Rivals Finish All Square, Diamonds Shock the Pars and County Back to the Bottom : Scottish Championship Round-Up

William Hill Championship: Round 24 Review


St. Johnstone 2-2 Partick Thistle

Agyeman (48'), McPake (66'); Smyth (42', Pen 90+6')

It was built up to be the biggest game of the Championship season so far as the league leaders, St. Johnstone, welcomed second-place Partick Thistle to Perth. With the difference of two points, it wouldn't be a game that would decide where the title would be heading, but it would be one that would see who would take control in the race for automatic promotion.

St. Johnstone's game in the KDM Trophy in midweek was called off due to a waterlogged pitch and was deemed playable on Friday night by referee Sean Murdoch.

It was Thistle who started this one on the front door after Božo Mikulić's clearance cannoned off Alex Samuel, who then burst into the Jags' box, but his strike hit the side netting. Thistle were looking to take the game to their hosts, and they forced Toby Steward to make the first save of the match as the Saints' number one denied Tony Watt. If Thistle had the early advantage, then it was all changed at the midway point of the first half; Morgan Boyes picked out Alfie Agyeman on the edge of the Jags' box, and his effort was saved by Josh Clarke in the Thistle goal.

Saints had the first-half possession, but Thistle had the best chances, and they got themselves in front just before half-time; from a Saints corner, Watt gathered the ball just inside the Thistle box and broke forward with pace and urgency. The former Celtic and Hearts striker then had enough composure to square the ball to Oisin Smyth, who slotted it beyond Steward.

That was the first half's last big moment, and amazingly enough the second half's first big moment also resulted in a goal; a Jamie Gullan corner was partially cleared by Thistle, and Agyeman was able to gather the ball and take a strike at goal which found the back of the net, with the aid of a big deflection from Dan O'Reilly.

The leaders had their tails up and went on the hunt for another goal; Jason Holt created himself space for a strike on the edge of the box, but his effort went over the bar. Saints were upping the pressure even more; Agyeman again tried his luck but was denied by Clarke. But they would not need to wait any longer to get themselves in front; Josh McPake gathered the ball on the edge of the box and cut inside and unleashed a low strike past Clarke, and Saints were ahead.

Josh Fowler, who was signed from Queen's Park in midweek, was looking for his first Saints goal, and he came inches away from getting on the end of an Agyeman delivery. Towards stoppage time it was looking like it was a question of when and not if the hosts would get a third goal; Gullan tried his luck but was denied by Clarke, and the Thistle number one was needed again, turning Agyeman's effort behind for a corner.

Then a sucker punch for the hosts, who were made to pay for not killing the game off: Alex Samuel went down in the Saints box after being brought down by Cheick Diabate, and Sean Murdoch had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Smyth stepped up, and despite Steward going the right way, it was too powerful, and Thistle had rescued themselves a precious point in the title race.

Late disappointment for Saints, who were set to go five points clear at the top of the Championship table, but it means it's as you were in the table, two points the difference, and we're still none the wiser to finding out where the league title will be heading at the end of the season.

Dunfermline Athletic 0-2 Airdrieonians

Hamilton (🟥 55'); Henderson (14'), McGrattan (82')

Two defeats for Airdrieonians in their previous league meetings vs Dunfermline Athletic, without scoring a goal and conceding six, and taking on a Dunfermline who have won their last three games, including last week's win vs leaders St. Johnstone in Perth. However, Dunfermline have only picked up 12 points out of 33 from their home games this season, whereas Airdrieonians have picked up more points on the road than at Airdrie this season.

The game's first real chance came from the Dunfermline number one, Deniz Mehmet, who picked out Matty Todd, who then put it into the path of recent signing Callumn Morrison, but the former Falkirk attacker's shot was blocked. The visitors then took the lead; a foul on Chris Mochrie from Charlie Gilmour gave the Diamonds a free-kick which Euan Henderson took and lacked power, but Mehmet somehow managed to let it slip through his arms and into the back of the net.

Airdrieonians pushed for a second goal in the first half; Mochrie's break and cross to Henderson was sent wide. The Pars needed a goal back before half-time; in truth, they weren't at the races for the opening period, and they could have found a route back into the game when Andy Tod's cross evaded Zac Rudden in front of the Diamonds' goal, but Todd managed to return the ball and have a shot on goal, but his effort was cleared off the line. Airdrie were living dangerously before the break, and Chris Hamilton tried his luck in front of goal from 25 yards out, but his effort went over the crossbar, and the visitors took the lead into the break.

Out for the second half, and it was Hamilton who was presented with the first chance for the Pars, but his effort was blocked. In truth, this was not to be Hamilton's day, and he received his marching orders early in the second half; Airdrie broke out of defence, Mochrie was played through on goal, and the Pars midfielder hauled back the counterattack and was shown a straight red card. Despite being a man down, Dunfermline continued to search for an equaliser and could have had it through Zak Rudden, but his effort was met by the Diamonds' keeper, Harry Stone.

The Pars kept on pushing and pushing for an equaliser but were always vulnerable to being broken on the counterattack and eventually conceded a second heading into the closing stages; Lewis McGrattan cut inside and placed an excellent shot, from the edge of the box, beyond Mehmet, and the Diamonds got a first win at Dunfermline since November 2024.

Airdrieonians remain in eighth place and four clear of the bottom spot. As for Dunfermline, after winning their last three games in league and cup, they knew that a win for either Ayr United or Raith Rovers at Somerset Park meant that they would drop out of the promotion playoffs.

Ayr United 2-1 Raith Rovers

Dempsey (28'), Dowds (57'); Vaughan (77')

There would be no clear favourite for this match at Somerset Park; both Ayr and Raith came into this game with a win apiece in their previous league meetings this season, and both teams had their problems, with the Honest Men not picking up a home win in the Championship since mid-October and the Rovers without an away win, in 90 minutes, since early September.

It was an uneven start to this one, with both teams with half chances but not enough to trouble either goalkeeper; after Raith applied some possession, it was the hosts who had the first real chance with a shot from Mark McKenzie which was palmed away by Josh Rae in the Rovers goal. The Honest Men were upping the pressure and were awarded a free-kick when Scott Brown fouled Anton Dowds; Ben Dempsey floated the ball into the box, Curtis Main ran to collect it, but the ball went beyond everyone and into the back of the net, the hosts ahead.

Raith went up the pitch searching for an equaliser; there was good link-up play from Darragh O'Connor to Andy Winter as the defender threaded a perfect ball to the Livingston loanee, who then passed to Jack Hamilton, who tried his luck but wasn't enough to trouble Max Thompson in the Ayr goal. Scott Brown has scored some spectacular goals in a Rovers shirt over the years, and the captain tried his luck from around 25 yards out, but the ball went over Thompson's crossbar.

The Rovers after half-time pushed up to try and get the equaliser and should have punished Ayr for some slack play when a back pass to Thompson was careless and short; former Ayr attacker Josh Mullin pounced onto the ball and took a shot, but Thompson recovered in time and saved his effort. The game became a bit scrappy, with neither side taking the advantage, but Ayr managed to get a second goal after an excellent sliding tackle from former Rovers defender Liam Dick, which led to good hold-up play from Curtis Main, who passed to Anton Dowds, who in turn made no mistake.

Dougie Imrie then threw on Lewis Vaughan to help the Rovers players get back into the game, and Raith were upping the pressure; a corner kick was played by Vaughan into Dylan Easton, who lifted the ball into the Ayr box, and fellow substitute Paul Nsio got his head to it, but his header was too powerful and went over Thompson's crossbar. Then the Rovers got a lifeline after great play from Jordan Doherty, who managed to cut the ball into the box, and Vaughan was there to slot it home, and they were back to within one goal. The Rovers kept on applying pressure, but thanks to some good Ayr defending and goalkeeping, the Honest Men managed to hold on to the win and the points.

After dropping out of the playoffs last week, Ayr are back in the top four. As for the Rovers, they missed an opportunity to climb up the table, with other teams around them having games in hand.

Queen's Park 2-1 Arbroath

Connolly (25'), Drozd (45'); Robinson (19')

A mixed seven days for Queen's Park, losing 4-1 to Raith Rovers in Kirkcaldy last Friday and being knocked out of the KDM Trophy to Dougie Imrie's side on penalties in midweek. The build-up to the game v the Red Litchies would not have helped, as top scorer Josh Fowler was sold to St. Johnstone. One plus point would be their reintroduction to the Scottish Cup after Stranraer were expelled over fielding an ineligible player, which earns the Spiders a trip to Ibrox in Round Five.

Queen's had the first chance of the game, Arbroath failing to clear the ball away, which allowed the Spiders to attack at the back line, but Carlo Pignatiello's cross went straight into the hands of Callum Ferrie. The hosts started the brighter of the two sides, but Arbroath were coming more into it; Jack Wilkie with a corner kick which floated to the back post, but Aaron Muirhead's effort couldn't trouble Callum Ferrie in the Queen's goal.

It would be the Red Litchies who took the lead in this one; from Aidan McAdams clearing the ball up to Gavin Reilly, who controlled the ball excellently into the path of Ryan Dow, who was breaking down the left, and Dow managed to cross to the back post where Scott Robinson was there to convert past Ferrie, and Arbroath went ahead. However, it would not take too long for Queen's to equalise; Euan Murray's long ball was chested down by Callum Smith into the path of Aiden Connolly, who crossed to the left to Harry Fieldson, who crossed into the box where Connolly slotted home.

Queen's took the advantage just before half-time; it came from an Arbroath corner which was blocked to Grant Savoury, who looked up and saw Seb Drozd breaking down the middle, and the Spiders' star midfielder had enough composure to chip McAdams and put the hosts ahead. The last piece of action before half-time. Arbroath came out of the dressing room on the front foot and went close to an equaliser when Findlay Marshall's shot was deflected and was blocked by Ferrie.

In truth the second half was a scrappy affair with no real clear chances for either side; there were lots of tackles, lots of blocks and a number of free kicks and yellow cards, and in the end Queen's managed to hold onto three crucial points. A first league win since the 20th of December, and they knew that if Ross County dropped points at Cappielow, then they would be off the bottom spot.

Greenock Morton 2-1 Ross County

Brophy (19'), O'Halloran (67'); Iacovitti (89')

After picking up a point at Gayfield last Friday, Ian Murray was hoping for a first win in charge of Morton as he took charge of his first match at Cappielow. They took on a Ross County side finding some much-needed form under Stuart Kettlewell, who won his first two league games in second spell at the club.

It was the hosts who started the brighter with some good link-up play from Owen Moffat and Zak Delaney, with the full-back drilling a dangerous ball across goal, but unfortunately for the Tonne, no-one could get on the end of it. After surviving that scare, County went up the park with Jay Henderson, who broke forward in the Morton box, and James Storer saved his effort.

Then the hosts took the lead, Moffat crossing on the right-hand side to the near post where Michael Garrity tried his luck but was saved by Trevor Carson before Eamonn Brophy, against his former club, managed to slot home the rebound and Morton went in front.

Brophy could have doubled his tally for the day after Michael O'Halloran intercepted the ball and played in the striker whose first-time shot clipped Carson's crossbar. The former County striker was clearly up for the game today and tried his luck with a header before half-time, but Trevor Carson denied the forward.

County needed their goalkeeper again after half-time; Moffat crossed towards the back post where Delaney was waiting, and the defender tried his luck with a first-time effort but was denied by Carson. However, Carson and County's luck was running out as the Tonne got their second goal of the afternoon with an excellent counter from Moffat, who played Delaney, who squared to O'Halloran, who slotted home.

As the clock was ticking down towards full-time, County had an unlikely lifeline, Trevor Carson launching the ball up the field to Jordan White, who managed to get the ball to Alex Iacovitti, who slotted past Storer. But County's time had run out, and with the defeat at Cappielow, combined with Queen's Park's win at the City Stadium, it means the Staggies are back to the bottom of the table. As for the Tonne, it's a first win for Ian Murray in the job, and a result that keeps them in midtable.

Benji Kosartiyer
Journalist

Aaron McIntosh

Scottish Football Writer

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